Mike Bhangu (image credit - Bhangu)
MIKE BHANGU

Former Councillor Bhangu looking to get back on his feet after acquittal

Mar 11, 2023 | 7:30 AM

Merritt — “It knocked me on my back. Got to get a job, get my finances right, get back on my feet,” said Mike Bhangu.

This week, former Merritt city councillor Bhangu was acquitted in a Kamloops courtroom. Bhangu had been charged with uttering threats to cause death of bodily harm back in 2021 but always maintained his innocence.

It had been alleged that Bhangu threatened the worker of a local moving company his ex-partner hired to help move her out of the former councilors house.

“I strongly feel what I endured was a racist and political attack,” Bhangu told CFJC News. “I was not treated fairly through the process. I was treated as a second-class citizen. The system was manipulated, and it was easily manipulated to harm me. That truly traumatized me. I don’t feel as safe as I did prior to all this happening.”

During the almost two years between charges being laid against him, and the eventual acquittal, Bhangu’s name was mentioned with the charge attached. He feels that’s limited his ability to find work.

“Those headlines are kept alive by the internet. It has impacted my earning ability. I’m not getting call backs for employment. And it’s all on what? One individual’s nonsense,” said Bhangu.

Even with the acquittal, Bhangu worries what potential employers will see first — the charge or the final verdict. The charge also hung over Bhangu through the 2022 mayoral election in Merritt which saw Bhangu finish fourth.

“It’s absolutely impacted the voters’ decision,” said Bhangu who noted he doesn’t plan to seek election in 2026.

Bhangu is a published author but made the decision to pull his books from Amazon during the trial.

“I pulled all my books. I don’t want to put myself out there with my non-fiction ideas,” said Bhangu.

As Bhangu maintains that the charge was racially motivated, he hopes his story can help move the conversation forward.

“We need to address that. We need to have that conversation and figure it out. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon,” said Bhangu.